The most obvious driver of dysfunction or inefficiencies within a marketing organization is misaligned goals and incentives. The clearest and most common example I run across when working with clients is the user experience vs. online marketing battle. You may not know it exists, but if you do any business online it most likely does.
Here is a quick way to see if you have a problem that may be gating your success:
- Is there a group or person who is responsible for designing, building, and updating your company’s website?
- Is there a group or person who is responsible for acquiring, cross-selling & retaining customers online for your brand?
- Are these TWO separate people or groups?
In some organizations IT is still responsible for the website, in many others there is a “specialized” group who is responsible for user (I hate the word user) or customer experience and who may or may not leverage IT to heavy technology lifting. Most companies have grown past the first scenario of IT solely owning the site and have brought in some sort of customer experience function in house and I commend them for that.
Where that plan breaks down is marketing. I strongly believe a website today is a marketing platform not an online brochure, and certainly not simply an online application. Consider your physical RETAIL space, and your virtual RETAIL space obviously have some differences, but they typically have one common goal RETAILING.
In the physical world the facilities group does not have “full control” of the store, there is more to the store than carpet, wallpaper and plumbing. There is no mistaking that it’s all about making those cash registers ring and putting smiles on customers faces. You have security issues (remember Winona Rider). You have complex systems like inventory management, terminals, servers etc., but you never hear “Keep the marketing department out of our turf…this is beyond them”
The best retailers employ Retail Merchandisers or Planners. These folks are highly skilled marketers who observe and understand consumer behavior. They help companies know what to say when, where to sell what, and at the end of the day they help drive sales.
If you do not have marketers actively involved and integrated in both designing and optimizing your online “store” you will fail. The best Information Architects I know are also great marketers. I call them Digital Behaviorist because they no only observe consumers they aim to affect them. Getting someone to buy something they never expected to buy, and have them feel good about it is an art. Today an IT girl or a Marketing guy alone cant do it. Together they can if they share the same goal.
I just recently talked to a CMO I know who came to the same conclusion after arbitrating numerous squabbles between his two key executives. Both are very accomplished and talented professionals who know their stuff. One was responsible for the brands website and his goals were to have the best of breed website, test high on usability and customer satisfaction. The other was responsible for acquiring and retaining new customers through the online channel. The CMO just changed theirs bonus structure and it’s predominantly based on the economics and growth of the online business. Suddenly the bickering has vaporized and online sales are up 22%.
Comments (1)
Good one. Keep writing these small pieces and it will turn out to be a book on experience marketing. Also, I suggest that you write about "some case study" type of thing which could mean a lot to readers who will get the most out of it.
Good luck in your endeavor
Regards
Kannan
Posted by Kannan Raghavan | January 3, 2008 7:43 PM
Posted on January 3, 2008 19:43